page 12 Assembly & Fastening Putting It Together
by Lisa Bonnema, Managing Editor
As product cycles get shorter and the word “inventory” becomes taboo, manufacturers are looking for new options when it comes to appliance assembly, hoping to find a synergy between the two crucial aspects of a quality appliance—its design and how it’s made.
page 16 Assembly & Fastening The Advantages of Clinching
by Lisa Bonnema, Managing Editor
One fastening technique that is rapidly gaining acceptance among appliance producers is clinching, the process of creating a joint via punching and squeezing, without the need for additional fasteners such as screws, rivets, or pins.
Feature Articles
page 11 Guest Editorial Europe’s Multidevice Brand Battle
by Paul Jackson, analyst, Forrester Research
Today’s consumers often buy technology as single items, and each device comes with its own uses, benefits, and brands. However, tomorrow’s consumers will look holistically at their technology buying: An increase in communication between devices will drive a blurring of physical device boundaries. Sony is the only major brand manufacturing and marketing a multidevice vision today, but even Sony’s strategy won’t be enough to win the hearts, minds, and wallets of tomorrow’s multidevice consumers.
page 18 Switches & Switching Devices Location Isn’t Everything
by David Simpson, Contributing Editor
As more switch manufacturing shifts to low-wage areas, suppliers strive to differentiate themselves in ways other than pricing.
